Talents

So we have talks about talent a lot.

Alex desperately wants a talent. He knows he's a great reader, good at academics, enthusiastic about life. But he wants more. He wants to sing, draw, dance, play sports. He is a do it all sort of person.

Andrew is the best 4 year old video gamer, I've ever encountered. He can change whole moods in this house -- that's seriously an important talent. And he can bake a mean "chocolate-chipped, m&N brown-mie."

Sean and Ryan -- well they will certainly develop talents. Mark thinks RyGuy has the makings of a soccer player and Seany could be an Olympic gymnast.

Mark once played the baritone (musically talented). He's a great dad and manager and peace maker.

Then we get to me. Turns out I don't really have any talents. In school, I never quite measured up to the really smart, really artistic, really musical, etc. When I won an award in art, a friend was disgusted, here he was a real artist and all I did was make one measly picture and won. I can read a lot of books, I can write a lot of blogs but still my grammar doesn't measure up. I can make people smile, I can make people laugh, but I'm not a comedian. I am not talented.

I explained to Alex that not everyone is talented. This he did not want to hear. So today, when Ms. Szmanda told the kids, "We have a very special guest. Alex's mom has a very special talent."

Alex turned to me (before I started) and smiling chimed in, "See Mommy, YOU ARE TALENTED."